The First Snowfall
by AaronCottrell97
Summary: Winter has arrived once again and brings with it the bitter cold weather, but even so, Molly is in high spirits as she eagerly awaits the first snowfall of the season. But James on the other hand cannot understand why she is so excited about it, until at last the snow does arrive and envelops the island in it's beauty.


The Island of Sodor was now changing to another season. Autumn had come for a few months, but now November was at an end, pushing December to a start. The days were getting shorter and the nights were getting longer. The winds were becoming bitter cold and frost was forming everywhere. As such, people and engines alike were preparing for the first big snowfall of the season.

Most of the engines, most particularly James did not think very highly about the arrival of snow as it meant they'd all have to clear it up and deal with all the usual trouble the snow could potentially bring. Thomas and Emily had a more positive view on the snow with its beauty and the game Thomas came up with when Emily found him without a snowplough again. But Molly in particular was very eager and excited for the snow to start falling. She understood it could be problematic, but she preferred to appreciate it more for the beauty it could show in a white landscape and peaceful silence.

One frosty afternoon, Thomas, Emily and James were at Knapford Station after their day's work was through, when Molly came along, wearing a big, eager smile on her face.

"Molly?" said Thomas. "What's come over you?"

"I'm excited for the first snowfall," Molly beamed. "I keep wishing it would snow soon!"

James sighed. "Really, Molly? Snow is NOT fun to work in. You could get stuck in it, slip along icy rails…and, dear me, Emily…get thrown off track by a snowball. It's truly not something to be joyful for."

"Wait, James. Snow certainly can throw problems our way, no doubt," said Thomas. "But it there is a sense of beauty to it. It's quiet, wondrous, and it means Christmas is near."

"And Thomas did create 'Snowstorm,' for the two of us, and sometimes Percy to enjoy when ploughing snow away," added Emily.

"Hmph!" said James. "We all like and dislike different things as we do, but how you can love the snow, Molly is beyond me. I honestly think you should lower your hopes and beware of the snow! You know all-too well what happened to me when I wanted to take the presents train!"

"James!" Molly exclaimed with surprise. "I do know the snow isn't easy all the time, but why don't you take in the beautiful side of winter? It's a blessing to look at compared to the other three seasons of the year. It's a very different time that doesn't last as long as the rest of the year."

"Maybe so, but in my experience, it seems that the bad times in winter outnumber the good times…including Christmas on some occasions."

Molly's cheeks turned pink with disappointment. "Ohh, James," she moaned.

"Don't listen to me, Molly," said James. "I don't want to dampen your spirits. I just don't like the snow like you do. I'm sorry." And he set off by himself. Molly looked at Thomas and Emily.

"Well, we like it alright, don't we?" said Thomas.

"Yes," said Emily. "Maybe James should spend the first snowfall with you, Molly. Maybe then he'll at least understand your point of view a little better."

"Oh, I hope so, Emily. But that'll make waiting much harder for me," said Molly. "I REALLY want him to see the snow with new eyes."

"Well he loves you very much, Molly," said Thomas. "Maybe he'd accept an invitation from you…you are his Shining Sun."

Molly giggled. "Aww, Thomas. And he's my Radiant Ruby. He isn't perfect all the time, but he does love me..."

The days passed. The weather gradually felt colder and colder for the engines. The frost became more and more dense every day. While most of the engines were fairly ready for snow, James became more and more nervous about the snow coming, while Molly became more and more excited. James didn't want to hurt her feelings but he occasionally told her not to get her hopes too high. But Molly still remembered what Thomas and Emily told her. Whenever the snow would come, she wanted to have James with her to see the beauty she loved.

Then a few days later, when night came and the engines had all returned to the sheds, the air was exceedingly cold, and the sky was dark and grey. Along with most of the other engines, Thomas and Emily were just ready to fall asleep.

"Goodnight, Emily," said Thomas.

"Goodnight, Thomas," Emily replied as she blew a kiss in his direction. She and Thomas fell asleep, but Molly was still outside her berth, awake and eager.

"Mmm…aren't you going to sleep, Molly?" James yawned.

"I can't help it, James," said Molly. "I just want it to snow…so you and I can love its beauty right from the start!"

"Uhh…heavens me," James whispered quietly to himself before turning to his Sun. "If you love snow, Molly, more power to you, but I am NOT amused by the start of winter. Goodnight."

And he reversed into his berth to sleep. Molly stayed outside, disappointed that her Ruby didn't appreciate the snow's beauty like she did, and she felt too shy to ask him outside to watch her, afraid that he'd reject to what he claimed to dislike, and didn't want to have her hopes dampened again, even if James didn't mean to.

Several minutes passed at a time. Molly kept gazing at the sky by herself, listening and looking so intently that her eyes began to feel cloudy and her ears began to ring ever-so slightly from over-listening.

"Dear, James," she whispered to herself. "I only wish for you to love the snow for what it can be…"

Then suddenly, Molly felt a cold speck touch on her nose, making her gasp quietly. She looked down on her nose and saw a snowflake just melt away. Then she looked up and gasped again. The first snowfall of this year had arrived on Sodor. Big flakes were falling slowly and steadily out of the sky and perching delicately all around Molly. Her wish had come true, and now was her chance. She reversed inside the sheds and whispered loudly to James.

"James! James!" she whispered. "Wake up! Come out and see the snow!"

James slowly opened his eyes, looking unhappy from being awoken, but didn't want to disappoint his girlfriend and followed her out.

"Come on, Molly," he grunted as he slowly huffed outside. "You know that I don't like…the…s-snow?" he said as he came outside and saw the snowfall for himself. He looked up and saw snowflakes coating the sky everywhere and falling gently down and slowly making the world around the sheds whiter and whiter.

From inside the sheds, Thomas' eyes opened slightly and he could see the snowflakes outside. He was excited and whispered to Emily to wake up. She saw the snow too and turned to Thomas.

"Ooh…Emily? It's snowing," Thomas whispered. "And look and James and Molly. Shall we go out too?"

Emily almost answered yes, but then she suddenly saw James and Molly outside and settled down again, deciding to let them have a chance for time alone.

"We've had a good share of seeing the first snow ourselves, Thomas," whispered Emily. "Let them enjoy it themselves tonight."

Thomas was not disappointed. Rather, he was very touched. "You're very sweet to both of them, Emily," he smiled.

"Thanks, Thomas," Emily whispered as she and Thomas went back to sleep.

The minutes passed, and before long, the outside world was covered in pure, beautiful and untouched snow. Now, James began to understand what had come over Molly and why she was so excited.

"Oh, Molly," he murmured. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to shame your love for the snow in any way….I see why you love it…but….I actually have something to confess to you…"

"What's that, James?" asked Molly.

"Another reason I didn't like the snow is because the problems it throws at you gives you no time to appreciate its beauty. I do see how it can be beautiful….but I also know it won't last either way. We'll have to spoil this beauty tomorrow morning when we have to clear the tracks. It's as if there's this beauty lying before us, but we have no chance to cherish it and instead have to wipe it out to avoid its problematic side."

Molly looked at James for a few moments, then spoke again. "Well…maybe that is a fair point, James. But this is why I invited you out here…so we can make the best of this situation and savor this beauty as long as we can for tonight."

Then she got a very intimate idea as some snowflakes landed on her little nose. She slowly settled on the turntable and turned round to James.

"Come here, Jimmy…" she said sweetly. "I have something lovely for you…"

James nervously approached Molly and buffered softly to her. "Y-yes, Molly? What is it?" he asked.

Molly looked up, then slowly opened her mouth. One snowflake drifted down and gently landed on her tongue, making her sigh as she felt the pure, sweet taste of the flake.

"You try, James," she smiled. James did so and caught a flake himself. He could taste the pure sweetness of the snow too.

"Goodness me," he whispered. "You're right, Molly. The snow really can be beautiful…and anything is beautiful to me…as long as I spend it with you."

Molly smiled even more. "Aww, James…" she cooed. "You deserve something lovely for such lovely words." She puckered her lips to James and began leaning towards him. James shuddered and leaned towards her too…and just before their lips touched together, one more snowflake drifted right between them, and as they kissed each other, they both felt that flake in each other's mouths. It could not be a better way for either engine to start the winter. They held their kiss for just over a minute before they let go and spoke.

"Thank you, Molly…for showing me this beautiful sight," said James. "I love you so much."

"You're more than welcome, James," Molly answered. "I love you too…so much."

James reversed back to his berth, and Molly turned round back to her berth. From that moment, right until they fell asleep, James and Molly spent as much time as they possibly could, gazing at the first snowfall on Sodor together. A truly beautiful sight to behold for anyone to love.

* * *

Alright, I know I shouldn't have to say this, but I need to say this in case SOMEONE - looking at you, David Brennan - didn't get the goddamn message in my review of "Percy and Gina's Epiphany". Lady and TATMR are NEVER gonna appear or be canon in my stories! I have said this countless times before, again and again, but you, David Brennan, refuse to acknowledge this and pretend that I haven't answered your pathetic question, even though I've literally answered it months ago! If you cannot accept that I do not personally want to include them in MY stories, then you can find someone's stories to read, cause this is pathetic. You keep pestering me about it, your reviews are gonna be ignored and deleted, in which case you have no else to blame but yourself, David Brennan because I am sick to death of this wanting Lady and TATMR nonsense! In other words, stop asking me for it!

My apologies to the rest of you for that rant, but it's been going on for months and I have reached by breaking point with it. I hope you enjoyed our first Christmas story of the year and I hope you look forward to the remaining ones coming (hopefully) all throughout the month. Until next time, leave a review and tell us what you thought of this one.


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